Screen time epiphany

[happycc]

I have such an aversion to screen time and I couldnt figure out why until I noticed that all they do is computer games on the computer. When I was younger I remember being on the computer and using wordprocessing stuff. I pretended I was a principal and set up my own school, teachers, grades, classes, curriculum, students ( I even pretended to write to the parents of these kids about their kids)---hmmm things haven;t changed since I was 8yrs old. ;)

 

Anyways I am thinking of coming up with some kind of curriculum to teach my kids to use the different programs on the computer such as Microsoft word, Excel and Powerpoint and whatever else to use as they :

 

1) pretend they are a principal

2)pretend to be a restaurant owner

3)pretend to be a toy store owner maybe

4)pretend to be a doctor

 

Does anyone else have ideas/thoughts?

[Julie Smith]

We (Okay I with kids directing) make cards for card games. I use photoshop and they have a template that lets them print out 4 different cards on one sheet of paper. They pick out various things

 

Dominion based cards

(Dominion is a popular board game)

My kids both have a massive deck of there own creative dominion cards

 

 

Descent based cards

I think they were originally inspired by the boardgame descent. These cards have abilities, health, fatigue, run, ...

 

 

They have not on the computer, but created board game maps, pieces, ... If they were both older I could see teaching them how to do that stuff on the computer.

[happycc]

card games and board game designs using the computer.

Thanks.

[Julie Smith]

Some more ideas, my boys didn't help with much with these, but they see us grown-ups doing them. Knowing them Eldest will be ready to start doing some of these things himself just from watching them done so often.

 

- Write a book

I put together a treasure hunt book for the neighbor boys birthday present.

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=395424&highlight=Treasure+Hunt

 

I ended up doing another edit after the one linked to, and making a few changes and adding pictures. But I can't post it since it uses are real names, and I don't want to edit them out again. It turned out very nicely.

 

Then his birthday present was the newspaper duct-tape sword and the 'book' in a duotang.

 

The kids helped pick out graphics, saw word editing, saw me using photoshop to edit pictures...

 

2. My husband makes you-tube movies on how to play board games.

 

[Julie Smith]

Here is something else.

 

I am writing a read aloud math book. It's over 150 pages long, and very cute if I do say so myself. You can see a sample chapter in the "Treasure Hunt of Classics" I linked to above.

 

I'm still looking for editors if anyone is interesting (hint hint)

 

Now back to the subject, 'useful' computer work.

 

For this book/project my kids are learning how to take pictures on a camera, transfer them over to the computer and then scale them back, fool with brightness and contrast levels if needed, then place them in a document so layout things.

[Ghee]

I hear you. I remember making business cards, fliers, playing in Paint and a program called Kids Pix. Mine want to watch youtube or play Minecraft so I have to really crack down on screen time. They don't view it as something you can be productive on. I'm interested to hear more ideas :bigear:

 

I think the digital scrapbooking sounds cool. We have TONS of digital pictures, maybe I can get them started on that. My daughter is also working on starting up a blog about our family trips.

[Guest Crazymomof4]

We are still working on this aspect as well. However, I do let the kids "play" educational Math, Spelling, Logic games (CD-rom). They have fun, but SURPRISE they are learning or reviewing too.

 

My oldest, 12, made several dog walking posters to put up around our neighborhood using Microsoft Publisher. She did it all on her own, with a little guidance from me - I would tell her where she might look to find out how to add a picture, or change or move a text box.

 

I think we will start a typing program for my two oldest this coming year. But I would like them to learn all the Microsoft programs as well. Making brochures, fliers, and formatting letters and docs it always useful.

[Micron4]

I have such an aversion to screen time and I couldnt figure out why until I noticed that all they do is computer games on the computer. When I was younger I remember being on the computer and using wordprocessing stuff. I pretended I was a principal and set up my own school, teachers, grades, classes, curriculum, students ( I even pretended to write to the parents of these kids about their kids)---hmmm things haven;t changed since I was 8yrs old. ;)

 

Anyways I am thinking of coming up with some kind of curriculum to teach my kids to use the different programs on the computer such as Microsoft word, Excel and Powerpoint and whatever else to use as they :

 

1) pretend they are a principal

2)pretend to be a restaurant owner

3)pretend to be a toy store owner maybe

4)pretend to be a doctor

 

Does anyone else have ideas/thoughts?

 

I love this idea! I teach college computer science, and one of my students' assignments is similar. They get to choose one of 3 businesses: lawn care, restaurant owner, or gas station owner. They plug in the numbers to Excel to figure out income, expenses and net profit (I give them the figures, they don't have to guess). Then they are given a few other scenarios like "What if the cost of food goes up 10%? How does that affect net profit?" To summarize their work, they make Excel pie charts or bar graphs and create a PowerPoint presentation to present to potential investors.

 

I think this is a great project, especially for your olders. There is a lot to learn, even doing a simple illustration like the financial numbers behind a lemonade stand really helps drive home those basic business concepts.

 

I have a friend whose children wanted a dog, and she made them figure out all the expenses related to the dog and put those into Excel and create a presentation. Very eye opening--pets can be much more expensive than you initially think!

 

I don't know of any particular curriculum that supports this, but there are many MS Office resources out there, and you could supplement with books that teach basic business principles.

[happycc]

Look awesome. I am really going to consider it.

 

Are there any free online programs that teaches the kids to use Microsoft, Powerpoint, Excel?

 

Does the Charlotte Mason Business book teach that?

[whitestavern]

Look awesome. I am really going to consider it.

 

Are there any free online programs that teaches the kids to use Microsoft, Powerpoint, Excel?

 

Does the Charlotte Mason Business book teach that?

 

The CM biz book does not teach anything computer related, but I will say that it's the one thing my dd requested I purchase at the homeschool conference I just attended! She did the pet store and wanted me to purchase the book store one for her. She's pretty math averse, so that's a huge recommendation for the product. I have to admit, it's pretty fun :)

 

I'm also looking for online resources to teach software like Excel, Word, etc. My kids play around enough to get things done, but I'd love to have some formal lessons for them to take.

[jenbrdsly]

I think those are all great ideas!

 

Here's how I'm organizing screen-time in general this summer with my 7 year old.

Edited June 26, 2012 by jenbrdsly

[happycc]

but I think it might drive me crazy with the many kids I have. How do moms with more than one child manage screen time especially when you don't have a computer for each child?

[happycc]

Do you have a list of resources we could use to teach our kids and ourselves basic computer skills using Word, Powerpoint, Excel?

[AmyontheFarm]

Have the kids make their own spelling rules cards. Teach them how to add background pictures and clip art.

 

Then we laminated the cards, put them on a ring to read over in the car. My visual student will know the rule just by the background picture on the card.

 

You can do this with any subject that they need to review something in.

[Mommy22alyns]

Have you looked at Simply Charlotte Mason Business Math? Some of the work would be set up for you. They can choose from a pet, sport or book store. It has pricing, inventory, sales tax, and the fun part, they get to choose a card for extra sales or expenses. There's forms provided, but if you have publisher or excel, they could easily make their own.

 

 

Wow, this looks so fun! I bet Becca would enjoy it.

[Nestof3]

My boys have learned how to do so much on the computer (in addition to play computer games) :lol:

 

They use MS Word to type stories and poems, make guide books for favorite things like video games or book series (copying and pasting photos and writing about them), make card games, etc. They learned how to make tables, title pages, add headers and footers, insert pictures and such just from wanting to know how to do it.

 

They also make videos with the digital camera and upload them on Youtube. They are usually video game walkthroughs or Lego Bionicle reviews and such. Nathan likes making documentaries (World War I and geology have been favorites) and then posting them on Youtube.

 

Ben likes making Lego stop motion videos. He also likes using video editors to create slideshows out of photos and setting them to music.

 

I got this book for a dollar during the Dollar Deals:

http://teacherexpress.scholastic.com/subject/teacher-resources/technology/powerpoint-made-very-easy

[happycc]

Powerpoint made very easy looks great....

 

I will definitely get...do they have one for microsoft word and excel.

 

You know I tried making task cards on microsoft word and I just can't get the cards size right. ARGH ! I need some serious help figuring out those things on word.

[besroma]

I have such an aversion to screen time and I couldnt figure out why until I noticed that all they do is computer games on the computer. When I was younger I remember being on the computer and using wordprocessing stuff. I pretended I was a principal and set up my own school, teachers, grades, classes, curriculum, students ( I even pretended to write to the parents of these kids about their kids)---hmmm things haven;t changed since I was 8yrs old. ;)

 

Anyways I am thinking of coming up with some kind of curriculum to teach my kids to use the different programs on the computer such as Microsoft word, Excel and Powerpoint and whatever else to use as they :

 

1) pretend they are a principal

2)pretend to be a restaurant owner

3)pretend to be a toy store owner maybe

4)pretend to be a doctor

 

Does anyone else have ideas/thoughts?

 

Great idea!

[skeeterbug]

but I think it might drive me crazy with the many kids I have. How do moms with more than one child manage screen time especially when you don't have a computer for each child?

 

My kids are young, but we have a Kid of the Day everyday, and that kid gets to choose their screen time first. If they choose the computer, the others can use the tv. If the Kid of the Day chooses the tv (wii or watch a movie) then the others are free to use the computer. We use Kid of the Day for many things around the house.

 

You know I tried making task cards on microsoft word and I just can't get the cards size right. ARGH ! I need some serious help figuring out those things on word.

 

Do you have Publisher? It's so, so, so much easier to design things. I can't stand using Word for anything other than basic documents. I used to use Excel to design things but now I use Publisher, it's very easy to catch on.

[trinchick]

DH and DD7 have occasional computer time together. One of their most recent products was a family newsletter, which I thought came out pretty cute! It has a very limited circulation (to me, the baby, and Grandma) but I thought it was a good project to introduce word processing and a little bit of layout.

[Micron4]

Do you have a list of resources we could use to teach our kids and ourselves basic computer skills using Word, Powerpoint, Excel?

 

We use http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Office-2010-Introductory-Cashman/dp/1439078386/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1340814035&sr=1-2&keywords=shelley+cashman at the college. It's fine, but I'm sure there are other resources out there that are less pricy.

 

I have also used this book http://www.amazon.com/Business-Using-Excel-Sharon-Burton/dp/0538731192/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1340814304&sr=1-1&keywords=business+math+excel

 

These are the books the University REQUIRED me to use, so I have not looked around. My guess is that there are better options out there.

 

Also, depending on what version of Office you have, you might get a better deal. If you have an older version of Office (which would still be completely functional), you probably could get a better deal on a used book.

[happycc]

http://www.tomsnyder.com/products/product.asp?SKU=KEYKEY#

 

 

This looks interesting..plus the idea book now my question is whether or not it teaches the teachers how to use the programs/software as well to show the kids.

 

 

Here is a review of it elsewhere:

 

http://www.powertolearn.com/articles/software_reviews_for_teachers/demystifying_microsoft_office_for_kids.shtml

 

 

For teens:

http://www.bepublishing.com/Textbooks/It_Series/Word_It.htm

 

 

Oh wow the etechno books are for middle schoolers...http://www.bepublishing.com/eBooks/Default.htm

 

I think I will be using these!!!!!!

 

I think I have answered my dilemma with these books. I will start with the Charlotte Mason books first. then move on to the middle school techno books and then word it, publish it, excel it. I like the 1st edition better than than the 2nd edition.

Edited August 1, 2012 by happycc